Armor Break
by Jaymo
Summary: Set during Yuna's pilgrimage. Something happens during the journey that changes the lives of the party members forever. Slighty AU. Aurikku.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: LIke I really need to start a new story when I've got like 4 to finish...oh well. Okay so this has been in my head for a while now, and it won't be too long. Just a few chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own FF or the character

Warning: Major game spoilers

* * *

Auron was uneasy. Well, uneasy was a word that generally described him in the past few months, but today he felt even more so. It was getting harder and harder to continue the pilgrimage. He was surrounded by a group of people that were ignorant to the true face of Yevon. He had to bite his tongue every time the blitzball captain offered a prayer to a stranger. He tried not to scoff when the mage would explain to Tidus about the religion.

Tidus for his part, didn't really care all that much. Religion was just short of nonexistent where he came from. Zanarkand was the true city of sin in its day so dream Zanarkand proved to be just the same. Tidus was wise enough to respect Yevon, but he felt the unease too. Something was going to happen.

Here, standing outside the Yevon Temple at Djose, Auron just didn't care anymore. He wanted to rest. Eternally. He was tired of playing by Yevon's rules. After this pilgrimage was over, he was never going to think about anything having to do with the lies ever again. He looked around, passing the time until the others were finished shopping. He gripped his sword tighter, ready for any attack, and remember the time he passed through this temple with Braska and Jecht. He had been naive then, willing to guide is friend to death. He used to blame his own stupidity for Braska's fate, but now only blamed Yevon. The lies are what killed Braska.

"Auron!" came Tidus' voice, pulling the warrior from his grim memories. Auron looked around to see Tidus running up to him. The younger man seemed to have gotten bored with Lulu's bartering and was ready to leave.

"So we are going to the Moonflow next? What's that exactly?" he asked.

"It's better to understand if you see it" Auron answered. Tidus nodded and Auron wished the group would hurry up. If they had been ready, Tidus could be bothering Lulu with questions, and leaving him to brood.

"Okay, let's go" Wakka said, leading the girls and Kimahri to the waiting guardians. Auron nodded and swung his sword up on his broad shoulders.

* * *

Crossing the Moonflow proved to be more difficult than it needed to be since an Al-Bhed machina captured the summoner that they were protecting. The two blitzball players jumped overboard to save Yuna, while the others could only wait. Kimahri didn't like the waiting at all. He looked over the side of the shoopuf, down into the dark water and let out a very low growling sound.

"It has been a long time" Lulu commented after twenty minutes or so. Auron simply frowned and wondered if Kimahri was going to try and jump in the water. Lulu rolled her eyes at the warrior and sighed softly. Auron had been the cause of her uneasiness so far on this trip. The legendary guardian had been an object of her fantasies for quite sometime. The stories about him made many woman swoon and Lulu had not been an exception.

Auron held her respect and admiration and of course she found him to be handsome. She couldn't help but feel smug when they passed through a town and the woman looked at him. She was on the pilgrimage with him, not them and she knew they were envious. She wanted to impress him as much as she could. It was part of the reason she answered Tidus' questions so much. Here, waiting for the other party members to come back, she found an opportunity to talk to him, but didn't know what to say. Before she found her words, the calm surface of the water broke and three breathless people were being pulled up by the Ronso.

"Damn Al-Bhed!" Wakka yelled. "They almost killed you Yuna!"

The summoner nodded slightly, not entirely sure the Al-Bhed were trying to harm her. If her suspicions were right, they might have simply been capturing her to prevent her pilgrimage. She looked up at Auron and nodded to him to let him know she was okay. The trip continued, but this time Kimahri and Auron stood on either side of the carrier, watching for any attack.

The other side of the Moonflow was practically deserted as the party began the trek to the next destination. Wakka was still sore about the capture on the water and was mumbling to himself as he walked. Everyone else ignored him except Tidus. He walked ahead of the group under the pretense of scouting ahead, but he really was clearing his head. The Al-Bhed he met when he found himself in Spira were nice enough and he was tired of hearing Wakka.

"Uggh" came a muffled groan from his right. Tidus looked over and saw a small figure on the side of the river and ran over. He approached carefully, not sure if the person was a friend or foe. The figure stood suddenly and stripped out of a wetsuit. Tidus could see the person was female and pretty familiar looking. The girl took off her goggles and Tidus gasped.

"Rikku!" he said, "you're Rikku! Hey, are you okay? What happened?" Tidus looked her over, walking around her and almost bouncing, like a puppy who saw an old friend.

"You beat me up remember?!" she shouted, hitting him in the chest.

Tidus took a step back from the force of her punch. "Oh man, you mean that was you?"

"Duh" she said, looking over her equipment and frowning at her missing objects.

"But, why would you capture Yuna?" he asked. Rikku looked at him for a minute and started to speak but she saw the rest of the party walking over to them.

"Hey, who's your friend?" Wakka asked. He eyed the blonde girl approvingly, making Rikku want to hit him.

"This is Rikku" Tidus explained. "Remember, I told you guys about her before."

"Man, you look pretty beat up" Wakka observed. "Praise to Yevon that you're okay. Wait, did the Al-Bhed attack you too?" Rikku's eyebrows shot up and she wanted to respond, but she was distracted by her cousin looking at her accusingly. Rikku smiled sheepishly and walked up to the older girl.

"Hey, Yunie" she said softly. Yuna smiled at Rikku, despite the fact that she was interfering with her pilgrimage and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I think we need to talk" Yuna said, pulling Rikku to the side and motioning for Lulu to come along. Wakka tried to follow, by Rikku shot him a glare.

"Girls only!" she yelled.

Auron watched the girls talking and knew what Yuna was asking her cousin. He watched Rikku plead with Yuna and then Yuna plead with Rikku. The Al-Bhed looked frustrated and crossed her arms. He saw Yuna speak to the girl and Rikku finally nodded. Yuna smiled and walked over to Auron.

"Sir Auron, I would like Rikku to become one of my guardians" she asked.

"I thought as much" Auron said. He walked up to Rikku and looked down at her. "Show me your face."

Rikku faltered at the odd request for a second, but realized what he was doing. He wanted to see her heritage. She wasn't sure what he would think, but decided to do what he said.

"Open your eyes" he said to her. Oops. She didn't realize she had her eyes closed. "As I thought." He figured that she was the person operating the machina and judging by the way Yuna reacted to her, she was also Braska's niece.

"Um, no good?" she asked him, looking up into his shades.

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent" she smiled. Auron nodded his approval and she smiled. He was looking forward to another Yevon hater on the journey.

* * *

That was one month ago. One month ago he had met Rikku. One month since his unlife changed forever. Now, looking back on what he let happen to her, he would have left her on that shore and never looked back.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so like i said, short story. Let me tell ya a little about what's going on, ya? Its a darker story than what I normally write, with Lulu and Wakka being chumps in this one at the start. But, stay with me now, you know I'll make it okay in the end. Expect major lemon in this one. Just one chapter away from it actually. Also, major AU as I'm changing the end of the game. Will update soon! 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Read on...

* * *

As far as pilgrimages go, Auron was pretty sure that the pilgrimage of Lady Yuna would be remembered as a difficult one by everyone who cared to look. Most of Spira simply held the summoner and her guardians as heroes, unscathed bringers of the calm, but the people involved saw the difficulties of the trip.

Auron watched his best friends daughter fall in love for the first time with the boy he raised for ten years. Both were very aware of their own bleak fates, but hid it from each other in some attempt of having a normal relationship. When they finally learned of what was to happen to the other, the silence shifted and became an attempt at letting the other person have one last great memory before the end.

The warrior sighed to himself knowing that the two lovers were going to be parted soon regardless if they found a way to defeat Sin or not. Tidus was an illusion of a person long ago dead. A dream of the fayth that Yuna would ultimately have to say good bye to. He wouldn't have to worry about it for too long since he had to say good bye soon himself. He looked out over the landscape from his seat high on the airship deck. He welcomed the silence and waited for the person that was inevitable going to come find him when another crisis arose.

Minutes, maybe hours passed when the person showed up. Yuna or Tidus wouldn't have come. They had little time to spend together now. Neither Lulu nor Wakka was speaking to him right now and Kimahri hated the elevators, so naturally his ally had appeared.

"Hey" she said wearily, sitting down next to him and relaxing her tired body against his. He allowed her to lean on his body as he always did and glanced over to the top of her blonde head.

"It is cold up here" he commented, always concerned about her lack of clothing.

"It's warm wherever you are" she said softly. Auron barely heard her and felt his heart tighten for her. So much had happened between the time they had met at the Moonflow and this moment. She had become the object of his affection much to his shock. He protected her always, sometimes more than his summoner. Yuna had Tidus now, but Rikku had no one.

"Did anyone say anything to you?" he asked her quietly. He felt her body tense and she shook her head against his arm. He frowned that he had to even ask that question. Rikku had been a victim to Yevon many times during the pilgrimage. It was nothing that Auron couldn't protect her from, a glare here, a refusal to allow her in the temple there.

But she had been betrayed. One of her own had turned her in to Yevon. A man she had called her friend, one she had grown up with. He apparently disapproved of her involvement with the pilgrimage and tipped off the Yevon group hunting for the summoner and her guardians. Rikku had been captured, but thankfully Auron had gotten to her before anyone else had. But that had not been the worst of it for Rikku.

"No, they have been silent" she said, looking up at him and squinting against the wind in her face. He smiled slightly at her wind flushed cheeks. After she had been rescued, the group had continued the pilgrimage. They made it to Zanarkand and faced Yunalesca. Rikku had fought bravely for her cousin and the first summoner was defeated. That is when the group broke.

Wakka was in shock. It was one thing to defy Yevon for the sake of the pilgrimage, but to completely destroy the foundation on which it was build had shaken him to the core. He had helped destroy the one thing that would rid the world of Sin. The final aeon would never be summoned and it was the end as far as he was concerned. His rage and confusion had blinded his reason and he turned on Rikku. She had dealt the final blow to Yunalesca as a payback for killing Auron. Wakka channeled all his feeling toward Rikku and a fight ensued that left Yuna and Tidus in tears.

Auron immediately defended Rikku and Lulu sided with Wakka, her own beliefs challenged and Auron believed she was still recovering from a bruised ego from the night she had attempted to act on her feelings towards him. Words were exchanged that Auron would never forget and Rikku cried. Weapons were drawn, but Yuna intervened, furiously wielding her staff and exercising magic the group was not aware she knew.

"I'm just so tired now" Rikku yawned. "I wish this was over, but I don't at the same time"

"I know" he agreed. He was ready for his rest, though a part of him didn't want to leave Rikku. He had yet to understand the bond they had. They were in no way lovers, but seemed to have an unspoken trust toward each other. It seemed that they were simply drawn to each other instantly and remained that way no matter what. She was the only one that made him laugh and he was the only one that could comfort her. She knew he was dead and he knew she was now an outcast among her people. He assumed that Yuna would take her in after the pilgrimage, but that was assuming everyone lived to see the other side.

Rikku sighed and curled into his body, seeking warmth from his coat. Auron lifted his hand and released the buckle and let the garment loosen enough for her to make herself comfortable inside of it with him. Auron felt her squirm against his chest and was content. He had a feeling if circumstances were different, he would make Rikku his and only his. But he wasn't a stupid man. He knew his body could not take more years separated from his soul and he longed for the Farplane. Rikku seemed to understand this and never pushed him, no matter how much she wanted to sometimes.

"How much longer?" she asked, tilting his head up to his neck. He held back a shiver as he shifted his hips away from her body.

"A few hours, maybe six" he replied. Then they would face Sin. Then it would be over. She nodded and he felt her hot tears on his skin. He looked down to see her face and she caught his lips in a warm kiss. The cold wind whipped through her hair, making the ends painfully hit his face as he kissed her back. A moment later, her lips left his and she looked up at him.

"What was that for?" he asked, his voice thick and broken.

"I just wanted to know what it could have been like" she said sadly. Somewhere along the line, she had fallen in love with her protector and, in many ways, savior. She knew he was never going to be able to return her feelings, but that was okay. She didn't want him to have to worry about her too.

"Rikku," he started to say, but she put a finger on his just kissed lips.

"You don't have to say anything. I understand" she offered, saving him the trouble of breaking her heart. He took her hand in his and she looking into his face, unsurely and wishing she had something to hide behind from his intense stare. She looked away and then reached up and removed his shades only to put them on her own face. She looked up at him from behind the dark lenses to see him smirking at her.

"Rikku, I would give anything for you and I to be in a place where we can act on our feelings, but you know what is going to happen to me" he said. Rikku felt her heart fly at the use of the word "our". He felt the same and that was enough for now. She smiled and took of the glasses and handed them back.

"Our feelings?" she asked shyly.

He smirked and touched his forehead to hers. "Our feelings" he confirmed before kissing her deeply. Rikku was taken back by the possessiveness in his kiss, but loved it all the same. She melted into his chest and his arms tightened around her, holding her to him. She ran her hands over his chest and heard him groan as her fingers grazed his nipples under his shirt. Rikku jumped back and looked up into his eyes. She was panting slightly from the kiss and was surprised to see him doing the same.

"Auron?" she questioned, suddenly aware of what could possibly happen if they continued to kiss like that. He looked at her heavily and cupped her face in his large hands gently.

"Rikku, I'm not going to lie to you" he said seriously. "This could very well be my last few hours on Spira and I would like nothing more than to spend it with you, no matter what we do to spend the time."

Rikku grinned widely, reminding Auron of the happy person he met on the Moonflow. "You are such a smooth talker for such a grump, you know that?"

Auron smirked at her and shrugged. She smiled and started at his lips longingly for a second before tasting his lips with hers. His kiss made her forget everything that was wrong and she focused only on him. His hands came up to hold her face as he gently pulled her back from his lips. She pouted and frowned, looking up at him with a questioning look.

"Inside" he said simply. Rikku nodded, suddenly chilly and uncomfortable. Auron took her hand and led her inside and into a room he knew he could lock. It was small and dark, not perfect but it would give them privacy. He found the bed and was happy that it was soft and didn't smell musty like a lot of the rest of the ship did. Auron wanted her to be comfortable above anything else. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, missing his lips on hers. Auron was holding her around her waist until he felt a presence in his pants that strained his patience. He gently pushed her back onto the bed and covered her body with his. Rikku pressed back against him and then found herself holding onto him as the ship rocked violently back and forth.

"Sin!" a terrified voice called from the hall. Auron and Rikku broke apart and looked at each other sadly.

"I guess this is the end?" she said, her lip trembling. He reached out and cupped her cheek and she rubbed her face into his hand. He let go and opened the door for her, both going to face their fates.

* * *

A/N: one or two more to go... 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay people...this is the last part, I think. Unless you guys badger me enough and I have to post more, you never know.

Disclaimer: Don't own FF or the characters.

Warning: End of game spoilers if you haven't beat it yet (you all know who you are) and it gets a little angsty so beware.

* * *

Fighting Sin was just as hard as Auron expected it to be. The party banded together despite any animosity and destroyed the armor that guarded Yu Yevon. Auron guided the group inside and to a friend he hadn't seen in ten years. Tidus was visibly uncomfortable at seeing his old man and Auron wished for the thousandth time that they had more time together. With Braska's final aeon gone, the group continued to the end.

Lulu and Wakka were quiet. They trailed behind Auron and Rikku, both looking for a way to voice their apologies. They had finally come to terms that they had been following a lie. The years of worshiping and atonement were all for nothing now. Yevon turned out to be a crazy man inside of Sin. Destroying him would destroy Sin, not preying for forgiveness. Worst of all, they had taken their anger out on their friends. Friends that had protected them during the pilgrimage.

"This is it Yuna" Auron said suddenly. "Everyone be prepared."

Hours, maybe days later, Yuna and her guardians were still fighting Yu Yevon. Auron set his sword on the ground for a moment and looked over at Rikku. He smiled at her when she had first seen their foe. She had wrinkled her nose and sneered at the mystical insect that she would be fighting. He was going to miss her.

Now Yevon had barely made a move. The guardians fought but seemed to be getting nowhere. Auron frowned to himself. Yevon seemed to be content with wearing his opponents out until they were weak enough to be killed. The group stood still while Yuna threw her staff aside and picked up one of Tidus' swords. Her aeons were gone so why bother with the staff now.

Auron picked up his sword again and heard a gasp from his right. He looked over to see an evil glint in Rikku's eyes. She mumbled something to herself and opened her pouches, quickly mixing together a black and green ball of energy. She tossed the mixture at Yu Yevon and Auron watched to see what she was up to. Almost at once, the insect like body of their opponent started to flash black and green. Auron grinned and looked over at Rikku. She tilted her head up at him and winked.

"Whoa!" Tidus yelled as he caught onto what Rikku did. "Yuna, get your staff! Cast Holy!"

Yuna nodded and ran for her staff. Lifting it high, she cast the white magic and Yevon took a devastating hit. He seemed to realize the peril he was in now and unleashed a few strong attacks towards the summoner. Yuna was blocked by Tidus right away, but both lost more than half of their health.

"Quick" Lulu yelled, fear lacing her voice, "someone cast Life!"

Yu Yevon reacted to the mage's voice and started shooting rays of energy at the party. Kimahri stepped up with the little bit of white magic he knew and cast Life. Yu Yevon froze, his body convulsing. He expanded and shot of two final blasts before exploding in light and pyreflies. Auron shielded his face from the light and heard the loud sounds of the explosion. When the light finally dulled and the noise reduced he looked over at the other party members and his blood froze.

Tidus was kneeling on the ground by Rikku and Wakka, who were hit by Yevon's final attack. Tidus saw a flash of red and looked up to see Auron kneeling by Rikku. Never in all the years he had known Auron had he seen the man's face look so frightened. Lulu rushed over a second later and held Wakka's head in her lap. She bent over his face and kissed his cheeks lightly, pleading for him to open his eyes. He did open them and smiled at her, reassuring her that he was okay. The beam had hit his shoulder and shattered the bones, but he was alive.

"Rikku?" Auron asked quietly, his trembling hands resting over her bloody stomach. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up into Auron's face. Auron could sense she was in pain and pulled an Al-Bhed potion out and poured it on her skin. Yuna rushed over and looked her cousin over, but knew immediately that nothing could be done. Rikku had been hit straight in her stomach and had a few minutes of pain to live through. Yuna took her cousins hand and shook her head at Auron slowly.

"That...really..hurt" Rikku gasped out. Yuna let out a cry and turned away to cry into Tidus' chest. Tidus held Yuna close and watched Auron push back the hair on Rikku's face.

"Rikku" he said painfully. "Rikku please" Auron held her tiny face in his hands and rubbed away her tears with the pad of his thumb. He looked down into her wide eyes and kissed her lips sweetly. "Don't die Rikku. You have too much to live for. Stay on Spira." Rikku touched his chest and gasped in air. She was in a lot of pain now and the only reason she wasn't screaming in agony was because it would upset Auron.

"I can't" she cried, her throat on fire with her blood and tears. "I don't want to. I want to go with you."

Auron felt his heart break and his tears fell onto her face. He nodded and picked her up carefully, preying that his shaky hands didn't drop her. He held her to his body and she looked up at his face through her teary eyes.

"Shhh" he whispered to her dying body. "It will be over soon Rikku."

Auron looked over her head and saw Yuna and Tidus holding hands and crying for the couple in front of them. Wakka and Lulu were in tears as well and Auron nodded at them, offering a silent forgiveness for all that had happened between them. He felt his body drifting upward and saw the pryeflies rising. His time was over. His reason for staying on Spira was finished with Sin defeated. And his reason for living was dying in his arms.

"Yuna, it's time" he called to the girl. Yuna nodded and stepped out, preforming a sending for her guardians. Rikku cried out in pain and Auron looked down at her face. He could see Yuna dancing out of the corner of his eye, but he was focused on Rikku.

"Rikku, look at me" he said softly. "You did great. You figured out how to beat Yevon and you saved Spira. Now it's time to rest, my love. I will find you, I promise". He smiled down at her warmly and kissed her forehead as she closed her beautiful eyes for the last time, dying in her love's arms, his face her last memory.

Yuna finished the sending and fell to the ground. Tidus, Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri looked up, watching the pyreflies rise to the heavens.

* * *

Auron woke up an unknown time later. His body felt wonderful. He wasn't tired, sore or cranky. It was a nice change for him. He opened his eyes and looked around at the room he was in. It was a nice room, warm and sunny. It seemed to be mid morning, but it was hard to tell. He sat up and discovered that he was naked in a very white bed. Fluffy white pillows were behind him and white sheets pooled around hit waist. He looked over to the other side of the room and his heart caught in his throat. Next to him, Rikku was fast asleep. He couldn't help but think that she looked like an angel. Her blonde hair was fanned out on the pillow and she was smiling in her sleep.

"Rikku!" he said happily, leaning over her body to look at her face. He smiled down at her as she woke up, confusion in her eyes. She focused on Auron and smiled happily, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him close.

"Auron" she sighed happily, not wanting to let him go. After a minute, she registered that they were both naked and she blushed and pulled back. He laughed under his breath and she grinned at the happiness she saw in his eyes. He looked happier with both of his eyes. Auron took her hand and held it up to his cheek. She turned her hand and caught his face in her palm.

"Did we die Auron?" she asked, still a little fuzzy in the head. The last thing she remembered was Auron talking to her. Yuna could have cured them for all she knew, although that didn't explain the situation.

"You did" he said, his eyes closed and his head leaning into her palm. "I died a long time ago."

"Oh" she said, taking her hand away and placing it in her lap. Auron opened his eyes and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked in concern. She sighed and he felt his heart drop. He was so happy to be on the Farplane finally. His body and mind felt lighter and he was finally happy. Sin was gone, Braska's daughter was spared, but Rikku's unhappiness would undo all those feelings.

"I'm okay, I guess." she sighed. "It's just, well, I died. That might take a minute to sink in, you know?" Rikku turned to Auron, clutching the sheet to her chest and looking at him in worry. She was chewing on her lower lip and her blonde hair was falling over her shoulder, lightly touching her skin. Auron simply smiled and kissed her on the cheek. She looked at him curiously and touched her finger to her chin in thought.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked. He smiled and reclined in the bed, pulling her down with him and pulling the blankets up over them. Rikku was facing him, her eyes about level with his chin and she caught herself staring at her developed chest. His arms went around her and she looked up at his face.

"I'm sorry you were killed" he admitted softly. "I wanted you to experience a long life of happiness and everything that comes with it. Things I wanted to give you but I knew I couldn't."

Rikku held back her surprise. She knew that there was something between her and Auron, but she didn't expect it to be love from his end. She thought he tolerated her, at the most liked her as a friend.

"I fell in love you with Rikku" he continued, lowering his eyes. "I know I shouldn't have because we could have never been together, but I did. And now that you're here, with me, I don't want to waste anymore time."

Rikku felt the nervousness radiating from his body and smiled to herself. She placed her hand on his shoulder and he looked back into her face. She read the emotions in his eyes and smiled reassuringly.

"Auron, I fell in love with you too" she said. "I thought that maybe you would stay after the pilgrimage, even though deep down I knew you couldn't even if you wanted to. And when we were fighting Yu Yevon, I knew I was going to die when that bolt hit me. And you know what? I was okay with it because I wanted to go with you."

Auron let out the breath he was holding and pulled her to him in a tight embrace, forgetting that they were both nude under the blankets. He just held her to him, her body molding to his and making him feel like she was made for him. Rikku, however, didn't forget their current states and whimpered lightly as she felt his body against hers. He rubbed his face into her neck and kissed her shoulders lightly, making Rikku flush.

"So what do we do now? Are there some sort of rules to being dead?" she asked lightly, trying to distract herself from his hands that had found their home on her hips.

"Sleep" he offered, suddenly very tired. He felt like he just needed rest, maybe days worth. Before Rikku could protest, he was sound asleep, still holding her body to him. Rikku smiled and stayed away, running her fingers in his hair and watching him sleep. She wasn't tired at all, but then again, she had barely been dead when Yuna sent her. Auron had been running around dead for ten years so he was bound to be tired. Rikku felt him tighten his arms around her and decided to let him rest. They had eternity to spend together now.

* * *

A/N: Ta-dah!!! Woo...man that was in my head for so long. Anyways, I know you probably expected fluff, but decided not to put it in this one. Sorry. It felt better leaving it like that, but like I said, if i get a good response of people that want a lemon scene to follow, you never now. Hope you liked it! And btw...i really will update the others as soon as i popssibly can. Its my goal to get an update out for each this week. 


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